A third sensor for Oculus Rift is now up for preorder. This should excite Oculus fans because this is the last piece missing in order to setup a room-scale virtual reality (VR) after the early launch of the Oculus Touch controller package.
The possibility of room-scale VR for Rift was first broached in early October, when the preorder for the Oculus Touch was first announced. This relied on the third sensor, which could significantly expand the capability of the system to track the user's movements in a larger space. Unfortunately, it did not come with the Oculus Touch package, which only included two Touch controllers, a sensor and a Rock Band controller connector.
Existing Oculus Rift owners already have one sensor, accounting for the pair that will enable a 360-degree tracking. This means that the third sensor has to be purchased separately. To make matters worse, it was not immediately available at the time of the Oculus Touch preorder launch.
The third sensor issue has been addressed Oct. 31, when it was finally made available for preorder. It costs $79 and could even have an earlier shipping schedule than the Oculus Touch controllers. The sensor has a Dec. 13 to Dec. 20 delivery window, while the Touch controller package only starts shipping Dec. 16. Consumers should expect to get a five-meter extension cable out of the box. It will allow the sensor to get placed behind the player.
Overall, those who are interested to buy the entire Oculus system will have to pay $926 and a $30 shipping fee. This amount covers the standalone sensor, the Oculus Touch controllers ($199), Oculus Rift earphone ($49) and the Oculus Rift package ($599), which already includes one sensor. The price is still a bit steep, but Oculus is reported to be working hard to bring it down.
The preorder process has been made a little more complicated by the fact that Oculus is prioritizing Touch controllers' preorders that were made by customers who bought an Oculus Rift setup online. This has sparked fear that the company only has limited supply of peripherals. At the very least, this should affect the delivery of preordered components and could turn out to be later than what is reported.
A recent software update to the Oculus system allows up to four sensors. The space created in this setup will not only create a room-scale VR but also one that can match the capability of the HTC Vive. This VR technology can track a person while walking around a room and could keep up even when he is sitting or standing.
